In many countries in Europe, in-store advertising, as well as P-O-P, heavily influences consumers in their purchasing decisions, according to “The POPAI Europe Consumer Buying Habits Study.”

Retail Marketing In-Store Service Ltd. in Watford, Herts, England, coordinated the summary and analysis of this 21-page report from 1999.

POPAI Europe supported this study that interviewed 5,661 consumers face to face throughout the day on “major shopping trips” toward the end of the week in supermarkets in the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, and Italy. Shoppers had each purchased item coded. Researchers determined trip characteristics, including how long the shopper was in the store, the awareness of P-O-P materials, and the perception of the store’s shopability.

Among the results of the report are: Shoppers visit the supermarket an average of 3.4 times per week. Only one visit per week is considered a “major shop,” which averages 37 minutes long. During that time, they buy an average of 18.1 items.

Also, an average of 67.2% of brand purchase decisions are made in-store. The average shopper spends 10.6% more than intended on trips to the supermarket. Consumers rate a clean environment and good service higher than value or excitement.

P-O-P displays, which are a significant decision influencer, need to communicate quickly and more clearly, because supermarket shoppers are more likely to go through more of the store on a regular basis and seek a broad range of items in a constricted amount of time. Also, these displays can lose their impact over time if they are not re-evaluated and refreshed.